Travelling with a Dog
Travelling to Finland with Your Dog
How your dog travels comfortably on the ferry to Finland - routes, cabins and all the entry requirements
- Every Finland ferry accepts dogs - advance registration is required
- Pet cabins available on the direct ferry and the overnight sailings to Finland
- Finland requires tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival
Entry Requirements
What Your Dog Needs for Finland
Finland requires a tapeworm treatment before entry. The time window must be followed precisely!
EU Pet Passport
ISO Microchip
Rabies Vaccination
Tapeworm Treatment
Taking Your Dog on the Ferry to Finland
Taking Your Dog on the Ferry to Finland
Your dog is welcome on every Finland ferry. What matters is registering at the time of booking: spaces for pets are limited, and both the direct ferry and the overnight sailings require a pet cabin. So register your dog when you book, not at the port.
Which route works best with a dog?
For travelling with a dog, time spent on board is what counts most. On the direct ferry Travemünde - Helsinki you're at sea for around 30 hours, with two nights on board but no land stage at all. If you're combining the trip with Sweden, you can cross via Stockholm - Helsinki or Stockholm - Turku, both mostly overnight. Considerably shorter are Umeå - Vaasa at around four hours, and the two-hour Tallinn - Helsinki crossing at the end of a drive through the Baltics.
Where your dog stays on board
On the longer crossings, your pet stays in a pet cabin. Finnlines and the operators sailing from Stockholm keep a limited number of these spaces available; on the direct ferry and the overnight routes, booking one is mandatory, since pets aren't allowed to stay in the vehicle. The car deck is closed off during the crossing, so you can't get to your car underway. Bring food, water, a lead and waste bags up to the passenger deck. Dogs must be kept on a lead on board, and the larger ships have designated areas on deck for exercise.
Entry requirements for dogs travelling to Finland
Finland is an EU member, but requires a few extra steps for dogs compared with most countries:
- ISO microchip for identification, implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination.
- Rabies vaccination, valid and administered at least 21 days before entry, no earlier than 12 weeks of age.
- EU pet passport with the chip and vaccination recorded.
- Tapeworm treatment with praziquantel, carried out by a vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival and recorded in the passport. Without this entry, you may be refused entry.
Finland is one of the few EU countries that makes this tapeworm treatment against the fox tapeworm mandatory. Plan the vet visit around your arrival time, since the 24-to-120-hour window is tight. On the 30-hour direct ferry, that means the appointment falls shortly before departure from Travemünde.
Tips for travelling with a dog
Book early, since pet cabins fill up fast. Keep your dog on a lead on board, plan a walk before departure, and keep the pet passport handy at check-in. Travelling with a dog by motorhome adds vehicle dimensions and parking spaces to the mix - find all of that in the guide Taking a Motorhome to Finland.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ - Travelling to Finland with a Dog
The most important questions about travelling to Finland with a dog, answered clearly.
What are the entry requirements for dogs travelling to Finland?+
To enter Finland you need an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before entry, no earlier than 12 weeks of age) and the EU pet passport. Finland also requires a tapeworm treatment with praziquantel, carried out by a vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival and recorded in the passport. Without this entry, you may be refused entry.
Where does my dog stay during the crossing?+
On the long direct crossing Travemünde - Helsinki, and on the overnight ferries from Stockholm, your dog stays in a pet cabin. These spaces are limited and sell out early during holiday periods, so register your dog as soon as you book. The car deck is closed off during the crossing, so your pet cannot stay in the vehicle.
Which route works best with a dog?+
For travelling with a dog, time spent on board matters most. The short Tallinn - Helsinki crossing is over in around two hours, the quickest option, though it means a long drive through the Baltics beforehand. On the direct ferry Travemünde - Helsinki and the overnight sailings, your dog sleeps in the pet cabin while you sleep through most of the crossing too. Travelling by motorhome? Find everything else you need in the guide Taking a Motorhome to Finland.